Attack on Titan: Guardians of the Wall
by Jcopper24
Summary: This is a non-canon story that takes place in the western part of wall Rose. The setting is just after the Battle of Trost. We follow Jasper Schutz of the Stationary Guard as he fights Titans, criminals, and other threats to humanity.
1. First time on the Wall

Preface:

Shingeki no Kyojin/ Attack on Titan (SnK) mainly focuses on the southern quarter of the walls. This fanfiction will only feature original characters and will take place in the western quarter. This is entirely fictional and un-canon. This location was chosen due to it not being seen or used as of yet in the story. The current time is just after the Battle of Trost. Follow members of the Stationary Guard as they defend against Titans, Criminals, and other threats to mankind's survival.

Chapter 1:

-Chlorba District of Wall Rose

The wind howled on the battlements as Jasper patrolled his posting. He was more than familiar with the sound since he had heard it almost every day for the last three years. He was a tall young man in his early twenties with coppery hair and piercing hazel eyes: the eyes of a marksman.

"Wind from the East at approximately 12 kilometers per hour. Slightly overcast with sunny breaks." Jasper said to himself while considering shooting conditions.

He frequently considered what the shooting conditions were. At half a kilometer out Titans are small targets and with even a degree of error, a shot will miss it entirely. As a member of the Stationary Guard, it was Jasper's job to keep a lookout for Titans beyond the wall and to maintain the peace within the district. Since the fall of Wall Maria the Guard had had its hands full with the influx of Titans. The routine had become harsh but it had forged a unit of defenders without rival. While the Recon Corps were known for their bravery for venturing beyond the Walls, it was always the Guard who maintained them.

"Anything to report?" a familiar voice called. Jasper turned to see one of his fellow Guards. It was Marvin, a young man who had survived training with him three years previously. Marvin was a short man with blond hair and green eyes. He was noticeably shorter than Jasper, but had a broader physique.

Jasper shook his head "Just the wind today, Marvin".

"Better do something about that then" Marvin said with a grin "How about some tea to keep the chill away?"

Jasper sat down on one of the crates beside Marvin. It was one of the ammunition crates for the cannons atop the wall. As a Guard it was Jasper's job to man the cannons should a Titan get too close to the walls. Fortunately the wall was 50 meters tall and the average Titan is only around 15 meters. Jasper accepted the cup of tea that Marvin offered him. They were only a quarter of the way into their shift but already they felt the boredom that went hand in hand with being a Guard.

"We're supposed to be demonstrating how to load and fire the cannons to the new recruits today" Marvin said making conversation.

Jasper merely nodded, "another group of bright-eyed recruits who had likely never seen a Titan before" he thought. Jasper had seen recruits collapse just from the sight of a Titan that was hundreds of meters away. Others had voided themselves and those with nothing to lose came very close to ending themselves.

As if on cue, Fritz, their commanding officer, came into view.

"Morning boys" Fritz greeted "ready for the demonstration?"

"Morning, sir, we're as ready as we're going to get" Jasper replied.

Fritz had taught Jasper and Marvin everything they knew about artillery and ballistics. If it wasn't for him, they would have never lasted as long as they have. Each of them was a capable soldier, but they lacked true combat capabilities with 3D Manuever Gear. Despite having the balance and agility required to fight with the Gear, both of them were unable to perfect a lethal strike on the nape of a Titan's neck: a Titan's one true weakness. Fortunately there were other ways to strike a Titan's neck. The Walls were fortified with hundreds of cannons at any one time. They were mounted on a circular track that allowed them to be positioned into a cluster and to allow replacements to be brought in by the secondary set of rails.

"Good thing" Fritz said "'cause you need to do it right now". With a nod to his left the pair saw the trainees approaching from further down the wall. Leading the group was the third member of their crew; Elsa.

"I wondered where she'd run off to" Marvin whispered to Jasper.

"Everyone, this is Jasper and Marvin. They will be joining me in showing you how to properly operate cannons" Elsa explained.

Somewhere in the crowd a trainee stated the pointlessness of the exercise. Without a word, Jasper walked into the crowd of trainees seeking the offender. He succeeded in locating the young man responsible.

"Do you really think operating cannons is pointless?" Jasper asked flatly.

"I do" the boy replied. He was barely sixteen years old and had all the attitude of one his age. "Cannons barely have a chance of killing a Titan unless a true marksman is manning it. I doubt you've ever killed one yourself".

Marvin, Fritz and Elsa all started to laugh. Japser merely shrugged, "And what if I can prove to you that I am a true marksman?" he challenged.

"I'll clean this quarter of the wall's cannons singlehandedly" he replied confidently.

"Very well" Jasper replied returning to Marvin's side. "Tell all the gunnery crews in this quarter that they don't have to clean their cannons today" he whispered before moving to the side of his cannon. "I'll do it myself too, just for the fun of it" he declared. He loaded the powder charge and packed the wading. He loaded a high-explosive round and prepared the firing pan. Fortunately, there was a 15 meter class Titan about two kilometers out and in full view. Jasper adjusted for the wind and the elevation needed to hit the Titan. When he was ready Fritz fired a green flare to warn other guards that they were beginning the demonstration. Confident in his aim Jasper fired his cannon. Within seconds of the cannon's firing the Titan's head was enveloped in the shell's explosion shortly before it fell off its shoulders. Satisfied Jasper turned back to the trainees.

"Any questions?" he asked smoothly.

"How about a round of applause for our demonstrator Jasper" Elsa called out. The trainees all applauded, even the one who doubted him. Fritz then fired a yellow flare to signal that they were finished the drill.

"How did you do that?!" the boy asked.

"Jasper here has 43 confirmed kills against 15 meter class Titans, and a total kill count of 84" Fritz answered with pride. "I taught him everything he knows" he proclaimed.

"Except how to get a date" Elsa quipped.

The trainees started to laugh but one look at his scowl told them it was a bad idea. He glared at them for a moment before letting out a laugh.

"Ha! As if he needed my help" Fritz jeered.

The trainees recovered and let out a collective sigh of relief.

"Alright, who can tell me the order of operation for cannons?" Jasper asked trying to bring things away from his personal life.

"Excuse me, sir. I think I know"

Jasper turned to look at the speaker. She was a girl of roughly 17 with lavender hair and Aquamarine eyes. "Yes, Miss, what do you think the order is?" Jasper asked.

"Ensure that the barrel is clear then pack the powder charge. Next you load the shot and prepare the firing pan. Lastly, you shoot".

"Almost right, you forgot to aim" he said with a smile.

"S-sorry, Sir" she stammered, blushing.

"No worry that is what you are here to learn. Everyone form teams of two or three and get into position.

The trainees split up into their groups. The girl joined two of her friends, while the boy joined two of his.

"Looks like you've got things taken care of, Jasper" Fritz said "Just remember to launch flares before you start and when you end if you are firing".

"Of course, Sir"

With a nod, Fritz departed to check on the other guard posts on the wall. The trainees were anxious for what Jasper would ask them to do. The girl was still blushing and her friends were teasing her about it.

"All I want you to do is practice the order of operations and who has which responsibility. Use the ramrods but do not actually pack a charge or a shot. We don't want you to blow yourselves up"

Jasper turned his head and saw Marvin flirting with Elsa, again. Shaking his head he returned to inspecting the trainees. There were only 30 or so of them which made monitoring them much easier. Some were completely lost, while others were just goofing off. One of the slackers was the boy from earlier.

"Still not convinced?" Jasper asked him, causing him to freeze.

"W-well uh, I guess it's just not what I was expecting"

Jasper fixed him with a hard look. "And just what were you expecting, boy?"

"My name's Fredrik, Sir. I was expecting to join the Military Police and move to the capital".

"Well, Fredrik, life's not that easy when you're a soldier. Only a select few even get to be considered for the Military Police. Even if you did get to go to the capital, consider what would happen to your family and your friends. You would be abandoning them to their fate" Jasper said jabbing his finger into Fredrik's chest. "Can you live with that?"

Fredrik just stood there dumbfounded. Jasper nodded satisfied. "Think about it" he said returning to his inspection. To his surprise the girl who tried to answer had raised her hand to ask him a question. He walked up to her. "What's your question" he asked, smiling when she blushed again.

"W-well, Sir, what do you need to consider when you aim?"

"In short; everything, more specifically: the wind, the target range, and other artillery. So, when I aimed earlier I didn't have other artillery to consider. I knew the wind was 12 kilometers per hour and that the range is 2 kilometers due to experience and habit. You'll figure it out once you practice more".

"Thank you, Sir"

"One more thing, what's your name?"

"Becker, Erika Becker, Sir"

"Nice to meet you Erika, I'm Jasper Schütz"

-End of Chapter 1-


	2. Officer's Rations

Author's note: My plan is to do these every 2 weeks but I was so pumped that I finished this one in a week. If people think it could do with improvement I'll revise it. Otherwise enjoy.

Chapter 2

Jasper kept the trainees drilling for the better part of 3 hours to ensure they knew their roles. He'd had them rotate their duties several times to combat boredom. Unfortunately, it came down to threats and insults a few times to keep them motivated. Erika certainly knew the procedure but she lacked any natural talent.

"I wonder what her specialty is" Jasper thought to himself.

He'd taken the time to talk to Elsa and Marvin about the trainees and learned that Erika was currently ranked twelfth out of the legion. From the trainees that Jasper had seen, which was roughly a third of them, there was not much drive to be the best.

"They probably just want a stable job to help their families" Marvin suggested.

"Or they know that they don't have a chance so why bother" Elsa added.

Whatever the case, the trainees had been working on cannonading for long enough. It was time for them to return to the barracks for lunch.

"Alright everyone, that's enough for today!" Jasper called. There were a few groans of gratitude but most knew by now to show respect. "Return to the barracks for lunch. All except you three" said Jasper pointing to Erika, Fredrik and another girl. "You'll be helping to put away the equipment"

Fredrik had groaned but Erika and the other girl just accepted it. Elsa and Marvin had led the trainees back to the barracks while Jasper put the trio to work. Erika showed eagerness in her work, almost as if she expected to learn some trick about cannons. Fredrik complained about his stomach while he clumsily stacked cannonballs. The other girl kept to her work as though it was an everyday occurrence. Jasper considered her for a moment. She was roughly sixteen years old with midnight black hair that she kept in a braid which hung to her waist. Her eyes were an icy blue that sent shivers down Jasper's spine. Yet in those eyes he saw someone who'd been to hell and back; someone who'd seen a Titan attack.

"Trainee?" he asked.

"Yes, Sir?" she replied flatly.

"What's your name?"

"It's Luna, Luna Abendroth, Sir"

"That's a beautiful name, named after the moon and dusk. Tell me, where are you from?"

"I'm from a small village inside Wall Maria" She answered with what Jasper thought was a hateful stare.

"Believe it or not, I am also from a village that was inside Wall Maria"

Luna seemed to relax for a moment while Fredrik and Erika had stopped working to watch the exchange. Neither had considered that he was from outside Wall Rose. Both were struck with a renewed respect for Jasper and what he had experienced.

"W-with all due respect, Sir, what happened to your village?" Erika asked.

"First, you three are technically off duty and it's becoming annoying so just call Jasper from now on. Second, there's not much to tell honestly. Titans showed up without warning and my village burned. To my knowledge I'm the only one who made it out alive. Personally, I would have rather stayed and died, but with my family dead I was compelled to avenge them. You three will never speak of this again. All that matters is that you fight and remember why you do so."

The trainees just stood there dumbfounded. Here was a man who had been through hell and emerged a soldier of humanity. Fredrik looked like he was about to pass out, Erika looked like she'd just disturbed a hornet's nest, and Luna looked like she'd finally found someone who understands.

"Let's get this gear packed up and we'll get some lunch" Jasper said. "The next shift should be here soon enough. How long has it been since you have had meat to eat?"

Fredrik's face lit up like a bonfire. "Y-you mean you'll give us officer's rations?"

"Why not? You all worked hard and stayed late to clean up."

"How would you get them?" Erika asked.

"Fritz owes me a favour or two"

With that they set to work with a renewed vigor. It had been almost five years since any of them had smelled let alone tasted meat. They finished cleaning up and the relief shift arrived to take Jasper's post. The trio of guards were less experienced than Jasper, but they all knew what they were doing. Jasper led the trio of trainees back to the barracks.

When they arrived Jasper led them to one of the storage sheds and said "Wait here, I'll be back soon"

Jasper headed off towards the officers' quarters wondering which favour he was going to call in. Maybe the time Fritz was hung over and needed Jasper to cover his shift? No too small a favour to trade for three officer's rations. Jasper settled on the time Fritz needed him to repay his gambling debts. It had been a large debt but fortunately Fritz quit gambling after that close call. Arriving at the officers' quarters Jasper found Fritz finishing his lunch.

"Hello Fritz, I need a favour" Jasper said.

"What kind of favour are we talking about here? Is this about the hangover or the gambling?" Fritz asked in a hushed voice.

"The gambling; I need three officer's rations of bread, bratwurst, and milk"

"You've got to be kidding me! You know they're already looking for whoever's been stealing the milk already. I'll get you one serving of milk. Give it to your favorite. That Erika girl perhaps" He said with a sly smile. "I've seen the way you watch her".

"It's nothing like that" Jasper said sternly "these three stayed late to clean up and they were some of the hardest workers in the drill today. Besides, you know Becker isn't my type".

"Yeah, by the way Michelle's been looking for you. Did last week's date work out?"

"It's… complicated" Jasper said. "Just get those rations and that's one less favour you owe me".

"Fine, get yourself those rations, but only get one bottle of milk."

"Fair enough, thanks Fritz"

"Anytime Jasper"

With that Jasper made for the officers' kitchen. The cook knew him well enough to leave him alone and to cover for him if things went bad. Jasper had that way with people; they just wanted to help him because he would help them in turn. Jasper grabbed the food, including something for him, and returned to the trainees.

"Here ya go" he said handing over the bread and bratwurst. "I could only get one bottle of milk since there have been some thefts recently"

Luna made an attempt to avoid eye contact but Jasper could tell she was hiding something.

"I'll ask her about this again later" he thought handing her the milk. "Something tells me you need this the most" he whispered.

"T-thanks, Sir" she replied

"Let's dig in then" Jasper said fishing his food out. It was a freshly baked potato that was cooked to a golden brown.

"Tell me, why'd you all decide to join the military?" Jasper asked making conversation.

"Well I joined to become a member of the Military Police, but after what you said on the wall I'm having second thoughts" Fredrik replied through a mouthful of bread.

"I wanted to join the Stationary Guard to help my family maintain themselves" Erika said "my family is made of bakers but we've been having trouble with the shortage of supplies and money". She looked at her feet as she finished.

"Admirable goals but it'll take a lot to achieve them. Especially with only a few days until final evaluations" Jasper replied with a nod. "What about you, Luna?"

"I joined because I had no other way to survive. No family, no skills I could sell, and nowhere else to go. This gives me a home and three meals a day. What else is there?"

"There's friendship and family, even if you don't realise it" Jasper answered. "With nowhere else to go, you'll find people just like you who need a purpose. I've walked that road and while it seems empty at the start, you'll find people along the way".

Luna wiped a tear from her eye and smiled at Jasper. "Do you really think so?"

"I know so. You found me didn't you?"

"So what? Are you our 'big brother' now?" Fredrik asked.

"I guess I am" Jasper answered.

The group shared a laugh, but they were cut short by a crash of lightning and a loud boom.

"What was that?" Ekira asked.

"It came from the merchant district!" Fredrik said.

"It's just like Shiganshima and Trost" Jasper said in a cold tone.

"What do you mean, Jasper?" Luna asked.

"Reports stated that before the Colossal Titan appeared there was a crash of lightning and a clap of thunder"

As if on cue several red smoke flares were launched from across the wall and the city. Jasper grabbed his flare gun from his belt.

"They've got it all wrong. This isn't a regular titan; it's a deviant!" Jasper shouted loading a black smoke round. "We need to take it down before it does anything" he said launching his flare. "To Battle!" he cried breaking into a sprint towards the merchant district.

With only a moment's hesitation Luna chased after him, followed closely by Erika and Fredrik.

End of chapter 2


	3. First Blood and Final Breaths

Author's note: This is my first time writing an AoT action scene so I hope you like it. Also "Vikas Stark" is a character designed by Elsmul of . Enjoy everyone.

Chapter 3: First Blood and Final Breaths

Jasper raced out of the barracks followed closely by Fredrik, Luna, and Erika. Once they were out in the street they engaged their maneuver gear. Grapples dug into the buildings to either side of the squad. It had been years since Jasper had had to use his maneuver gear. Fortunately, he still knew what he was doing. Luna jumped and activated the thrust on her gear, propelling her onto the roof to her left. Without losing pace she ran along the roof. Jasper and Erika were on the roof to her right and Fredrik was keeping pace a few feet behind her.

"How many soldiers can we expect to see?" Erika asked Jasper while she leapt onto the next roof after him.

"I saw at least six flares, so hopefully a dozen. That's assuming none deserted or got killed" he replied flatly.

"In other words, we can only count on ourselves" Luna called out.

"Great" Fredrik replied sarcastically.

The squad maintained their pace towards the merchant district. It was roughly 2 kilometers to travel but using maneuver gear it took little more than 15 minutes. They saw other soldiers along the way. Elsa and Marvin joined up with them. Close by was another young man with light brown hair. He was a tall guy but he kept to himself.

Jasper recognized him as Vikas Stark; a man who graduated a year before he did. Word was that Vikas was a cynical man at the best of times, but Jasper figured he was reliable enough.

They arrived in the merchant district and stopped on a roof to survey the situation. It had only been about 20 minutes since the Titan appeared, but still several buildings were destroyed. Civilians fled in every direction without stopping to grab any valuables. A child wandered around crying for their parents, while a woman held her husband's body close, refusing to leave him despite being dead.

"At least the wall isn't breached"

The group turned to see Vikas standing a few feet away.

"Never thought you were an optimist, Stark" Marvin said sarcastically.

"Who joins the military and isn't either desperate or optimistic" Vikas retorted.

"Enough" Elsa said "Does anyone see the titan?"

Jasper pulled out his binoculars and scanned the city.

"I see at least two other squads on the rooftops to our left. They are looking to the south" He observed

"Any members of the Military Police?" Marvin asked.

"Yeah, they're fleeing to the north about two blocks east of us" Jasper said shaking his head.

When Wall Maria fell, the Stationary Guard underwent a severe retraining process to compensate for laziness and incompetence. The Military Police were exempt from this retraining simply because they were not involved. As a result they continued to grow stagnant and incapable of fighting.

Jasper looked to the south and he could see the flash of steel blades in the afternoon sun.

"To the south, about another five hundred meters out. A squad has engaged the titan but I can't tell how they're faring."

"Let's get going then" Marvin said stepping closer to Elsa "How about a kiss for luck?" he asked while flashing a smile.

"Only because you asked nicely" Elsa replied, giving him a peck on the cheek.

Vikas groaned in disgust, while Fredrik stepped closer to Erika.

"Sounds like a good idea to me" he told her sheepishly.

"Some other time, Fredrik" Jasper said "You need to earn it"

Erika giggled and Luna cracked a smile.

"Are we going to flirt all day, or are we going to kill a titan?" Vikas asked.

"Move out!" Marvin called leaping off the roof and engaging his gear. He rocketed to the south, followed quickly by Elsa and Vikas. Trailing behind, Jasper was leading the trainees.

"This could be a Deviant-class, meaning it might have a shred of intelligence. Hold back while we assess its abilities. We don't want you dying on your first mission" Jasper said.

"Yes, Sir!" the trio answered.

The titan came into view. It was around 13 meters tall with greasy black hair that hung to its neck. Its arms hung all the way to the ground, causing its hands to scrape the street. Its hands were tipped with vicious talons, which were already caked with blood. There was no skin on its cheeks and its mouth was filled with razor sharp teeth.

"You were right, Jasper, it's a Deviant" Elsa called.

Elsa and Marvin broke off to the left, while Jasper and Vikas went to the right. They circled the Deviant looking for an opening. It followed Jasper with its eyes and made a swipe at him. It barely missed him with its scythe like talons.

Elsa saw an opening and made a move for the nape of its neck; a titans one weakness. Mere feet from its neck, Elsa was intercepted and knocked into a nearby rooftop. Luna reacted immediately and went to her aid.

"Elsa! Are you alright?" Luna asked kneeling down beside Elsa's prone body. She was unconscious, but she was alive.

"Fredrik, Erika, Help me move her!" Luna called.

Meanwhile, in a fit of rage Marvin was striking at the Deviant's arms.

"You Bastard! I'll kill you!" He roared.

In his fit of rage he made the mistake of moving too close to its head. In the blink of an eye it grabbed onto his grappling cables and had him in its grasp. Marvin struggled but he couldn't escape the Deviant's vice.

Jasper could only watch in horror as it squeezed. With a sickening pop, Marvin was crushed into a bloody mush. The Deviant hurled the mess that was Marvin into the ground and stomped on it for good measure.

Vikas took the opportunity to strike at the titan's ankles. His twin blades cut deep and let out a spray of black blood. He was coated in the blood and began to shriek. "It burns! It's too hot!". He continued his movement and landed on a rooftop. He broke down; the heat reminded him of that night. The house was ablaze and try as he might he couldn't escape the grip of the soldiers to save his family from his father's insanity. Sobbing he stayed there on his hands and knees.

The titan was effectively unable to turn let alone barely stand. Jasper surveyed the situation while circling the titan. Elsa was unconscious, Vikas was having a mental breakdown, and Marvin was dead. With a sigh, Jasper called to Luna and Fredrik "Engage! Erika, you keep an eye on Elsa and Vikas".

He fired his grapples into a building to the titan's left. It got ready to intercept him, but Luna made a slash across its face. Howling in pain it changed its focus. It lost track of Fredrik, and it proved to be a fatal mistake. Fredrik began to spin and he cut a large chunk out of its neck.

The deviant crashed to the ground and lay there.

Fredrik, Luna, and Jasper landed on the same rooftop as Erika and Elsa. "How is she?" Jasper asked.

"She's asleep. She hit her head pretty hard" Erika replied while wrapping a temporary bandage on Elsa's head.

Everyone let out a sigh of relief. They had succeeded in surviving their first combat.

Without warning Vikas let out a horrified shout "It's still alive!"

Before they could react the titan's wounds healed and rose to its feet. It howled in rage and made a swipe at the rooftop, aiming for Fredrik. Jasper knocked him out of the way and was sent flying into the air. He was hurtling towards Wall Rose at a terrible speed. Unsure of what to do and partially disoriented, he engaged his thrust to try to slow himself down. He managed to slow down enough to survive the impact; unconscious he fell towards the ground.

Luna was speeding towards him and fired one of her grapples. It hit and pierced his left thigh; arresting his fall, but causing him to hit his head. She reached him and carried him up the side of the wall.

Simultaneously, Fredrik drew the titan's attention and made to kill it again. As he propelled towards its neck it covered it with its hand, effectively protecting itself. Cursing, Fredrik redirected and evaded the titan's counterstrike.

Vikas, having found his focus, rejoined the battle. He severed the titan's left hand at the wrist and made to do the same with the right.

While the titan was tracking him, Fredrik moved in for the kill. This time he made a deeper cut and almost severed the titan's head. With one last swipe, the titan fell to the ground and began to decompose.

Relieved, Fredrik and Vikas landed on the rooftop next to Erika. Their relief was short lived because a squad of Military Police arrived and surrounded them.

"I am Captain Lukas Fuchs. Who is in charge here?" a burly man with black hair and a beard asked.

"Sir, I am Vikas Stark. By default I am in command" Vikas answered.

"Report, Stark"

"Sir, we arrived in the merchant district under the command of Jasper Shutz. During the battle, Elsa Himmel was injured and Marvin Ritter was killed. This young man, Fredrik was it? Believed he had killed the titan. It reared up and swung, knocking Jasper into the wall. Another trainee, a girl, went after him. With _teamwork_ Fredrik and I killed the titan: for certain this time."

Fredrik resisted the urge to say the Vikas had had a nervous breakdown, but he knew that it would do him little good.

Lukas nodded when Vikas had finished. "I will confirm this with squad leader Shutz when he has been recovered" He turned away and began issuing orders to his squad.

Upon the wall, Jasper began to regain consciousness.

"What happened?" he asked sitting up. He winced when he felt a surge of pain through his thigh. Looking down he gapped at the grapple that was still in his leg.

"You hit the wall and were falling. I did what I had to do" Luna answered apologetically.

"No worries, I've been meaning to hang around the nurse's office. Michelle's probably tearing her hair out right now" he said with a weak chuckle.

"Well, you'll have company" Luna remarked "Elsa's going to be there too".

"On that note I have a request." He said leaning towards her so he could whisper.

That night Elsa woke up in a medical bed. Her head was pounding and her body felt like she'd fallen down a mountain.

She took a look around. She was in a separate part of the hall and was screened off by white curtains. She took note of her uniform lying folded and washed on a chair beside her bed. Continuing her investigation, she saw something on her bedside table. She grabbed it and realised it was another jacket; reddish orange with the markings of the Stationary Guard. She looked at the tag inside: "Marvin Ritter" it read.

She began to cry.

Back in the merchant district, Erika and Fredrik surveyed the devastation. These were streets that Erkia had grown up on. Rounding a corner she saw a horrifying sight: her family home had collapsed. Stricken by thrown debris the building was unable to support itself. Outside was a squad of Stationary Guard. At their feet were two bundles wrapped in bloody white cloth.

Erika ran for the bundles with Fredrik not far behind her. Before the soldiers could react, she pulled off the covers and stared into the faces of her parents. As she began to cry, Fredrik grabbed her and pulled her to her feet. She struggled at first, but quickly turned and cried into his shoulder.

He offered kind words and held her close.

It was around midnight when Fritz entered the nursing area. He pulled aside the curtain and stepped into Jasper's room. He noticed Luna lying with her head on the bed sound asleep. Reluctantly he woke her up and dismissed her. She tried to stay, but he made it an order.

Sitting in the now vacant chair, Fritz woke Jasper up.

"I figured that you'd want a report" he said once Jasper was conscious.

"What happened?" Jasper asked in a serious voice.

"Elsa is currently unconscious to keep her pain and sadness under control. Vikas has been quarantined and is awaiting mental study, turns out that he left out his little breakdown in his report. Marvin has been cremated as is procedure. As if that wasn't bad enough, Erika has learned that her family was killed during the titan attack."

"The only escape is death" Jasper said bleakly "It was her first day of combat and while she survived, she'll need to live with this for the rest of her life"

"Quite true, we lost over a hundred soldiers in that hour. Most were too confident or too incompetent. We're still count civilians." Fritz pulled out his flask and unscrewed the lid. "To those we've lost" He toasted taking a drink before handing it to Jasper.

"And to those of us left" Jasper said taking a drink in turn "may their memories never fade."

End of Chaper 3


End file.
